Self-Regulated Learning

Self-regulated learning is the process of deliberate self-monitoring, planning, and goal-setting on the part of the learner. The learner takes responsibility for acquisition of knowledge and self-improvement. This is done through the development of metacognition, which is the process of thinking about one’s own effective learning strategies. There are three main components of metacognition: planning, monitoring and evaluating (O'Donnell 162-163). Planning is analogous with the goal-setting aspect of self-regulation.

To illustrate the difference between self-regulated learners and those who are not, we will take a look at two students, Billy and Margot. Billy is a self-regulated learner. He is socially competent, interacts well with peers and follows the rules of the classroom. When he receives an assignment, he recognizes the abilities he has and those he lacks to complete the assignment. Then he plans his time and gathers his resources. Next he executes his plan and reassesses his progress throughout. When the assignment is complete, he reflects on the success of his plan and the skills he used. Finally, he takes note of adjustments to make for the next assignment.

Margot, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. She lacks the needed discipline and strategies to monitor her own education. Because she is not interested in the class content, she assigns no value to it. She daydreams and focuses on situations within the classroom environment that have little to do with completing her work. Margot fails to engage in appropriate classroom behavior, which takes away from the intended project or assignment. When she gets off task, the entire class is distracted. Upon receiving an assignment, she doesn’t create a plan but instead daydreams about extravagant and unrealistic ways to finish her project. She spends so much time doing this that her projects never get finished, often barely getting started.

Self-Regulation Strategies: developed through prior experience, favorable or unfavorable (Boekarts)

Metacognitive Strategies: The following are strategies that self-regulated learners use when completing an assignment. They go through the process of planning, gathering information, evaluating progress and assessing the final product.

1. Orienting oneself before starting assignment
2. Collecting relative resource material
3. Integrating different theoretical viewpoints
4. Monitoring for comprehension
5. Assessing one’s process

Coping Strategies: These strategies are used by self-regulated learners to help deal with external stress factors.

Reduced level of arousal after a negative experience

Ex. Taking a deep breath

Volitional Strategies: Self-regulated learners are also responsible members of their learning environments. These suggestions help students to positively participate in the classroom.

Comply with social expectations and rules
Be a responsible learner and a friendly group member
Deal with obstacles and refocus the task when needed

Motivational Strategies: Perhaps the most important strategies are those that help students stay motivated and engaged. Self-regulated students naturally employ these strategies without outside influence necessary.

Initiate activities – set the scene
Assign to value to the activity
Sustain effort

Boekarts’ Dual Processing Self-Regulation Model

This model represents two pathways that students can take within education: One that is directed toward attaining a goal and the other is focused on personal well-being (Boekarts 202).

Students directed toward a goal display self-regulated strategies such as self control, confidence, and personal responsibility for one's learning.
Students who are focused on their own well-being concentrate on the learning environment especially in conditions that are unfavorable.
Students from either of these pathways can move between the two using volitional strategies described above.

Self-regulated learning patterns are influential to the learning processes because students who exhibit these strategies have higher self-efficacy, task interest, and motivation. When students set goals and make plans, they feel more capable of completing the task. Likewise, when students feel more confident and capable, they know their strengths and abilities and set goals that are in line with them.

Self-regulated learners choose, structure and construct optimal learning environments. These settings positively affect the concentration and effort of the class as a whole. This allows teachers to become more than explicit instructors; instead they are mediators of student-directed learning. For example, the self-regulated learner would select a seat in the classroom that is most conducive to his learning style. He would talk to other students with similar interests and learning styles in order to exchange ideas. Additionally, he would engage appropriately in class, becoming a positive role model for other students.

There are many factors that inhibit students from developing and maintaining self-regulated learning skills. The most important of these is perceived self-efficacy. When students are told they are incompetent they internalize this concept. They are unable to take control of their own education because they see themselves as unfit and incapable. This leads to another important factor: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. If students do not see any value in education, they will not pursue it on their own. Additionally, if correct self-regulation skills are never modeled for them in the classroom or at home, they will never develop these abilities. On the other hand, if there is too much structure in a teacher-centered classroom, the interest of students and their ability to direct their own learning can be lost. Furthermore, if students cannot control their emotions, they will not be able to concentrate on education or other important task.

Self-discipline is a key concept in self-regulated learning. Students must be able to set goals and then make steps toward completing them. Without the ability to manage one’s own time and self-evaluate progress along the way, students are unable to successfully achieve desired outcomes.

Students best learn self-regulation through watching an expert first model the activity, then by applying it themselves with feedback, and then eventually being able to complete the activity on their own. Therefore, teaching methods that foster self-regulation are methods that incorporate this process into the teaching process. Teachers must first model the correct behavior for their students. This will help students to observe what standards are held for the specific activity, what goals are set and how they are set, and in turn they will begin to internalize the pattern. Teachers then must give feedback on how the student’s process of learning is coming along. Is the student correctly modeling the pattern at the set standards? If not, what must he or she do to fix it? This is the most crucial step in the process, as students cannot be allowed to develop bad habits in learning strategies. Finally, the teacher must step back and allow the students to put the model into action in their own lives.

Students best learn self-regulation through watching an expert first model the activity, then by applying it themselves with feedback, and then eventually being able to complete the activity on their own. Therefore, teaching methods that foster self-regulation are methods that incorporate this process into the teaching process. Teachers must first model the correct behavior for their students. This will help students to observe what standards are held for the specific activity, what goals are set and how they are set, and in turn they will begin to internalize the pattern. Teachers then must give feedback on how the student’s process of learning is coming along. Is the student correctly modeling the pattern at the set standards? If not, what must he or she do to fix it? This is the most crucial step in the process, as students cannot be allowed to develop bad habits in learning strategies. Finally, the teacher must step back and allow the students to put the model into action in their own lives. For example, when a music teacher wants their students to think more critically about the music that they are playing, the teacher will ask the student what he or she is thinking about when they are playing the music. After hearing the student's thoughts, the teacher then adds their own input, encouraging the student to think differently or deeper than they already do, and helping the student to see the importance of this to their life as a musician. The teacher then asks the student to re-think their ideas about the music, and asks them again what they should be thinking about when they practice. The student is then sent to apply it themselves. The next lesson, the teacher asks again what the student was thinking about during practice. If the students thinking level has increased, then the teacher praises the progress, but still gives a little more input on how the student can still improve the approach to their piece. With each lesson, the teacher's input should be less and less, and the student's thinking should become deeper and deeper. Eventually, the teacher no longer needs to ask the student to think more when they are practicing.

Self-Regulated Learning Concept Map

Calvin’s Motivational Pattern

Calvin has little motivation for school learning, however we think he has the ability to be a self-regulated learner, based on the learning patterns he exhibits in subjects he is interested in, such as dinosaurs and snakes. He has a great imagination and often starts projects with grandiose plans but quickly loses interest and does not have the time management skills to complete them.

Calvin has not developed the self-regulation strategies to become a defined self-regulated learner. He begins an assignment with elaborate ideas, but quickly becomes engrossed in his ideas rather than completing the assignment. He does not have well-developed metacognitive strategies. Metacognitive strategies would allow him to approach the assignment with a purpose; he would be well-oriented to begin the assignment. Whenever Calvin comes across an obstacle, he always loses his motivation to complete the assignment and instead focuses on the obstacle itself. In this way, Calvin follows the dual self-regulation model, as he represents a student who is focused on his own well-being. After being presented with unfavorable learning conditions, Calvin will use his energy to make excuses as to why he cannot continue the assignment. He becomes engrossed in the negative situation, and ceases to complete any portion of the assignment. Calvin also does not have well-developed volitional strategies, as he is not aware of the social aspect of the classroom. He will become easily agitated if another student voices their high grade on any particular assignment, and will make negative comments toward that student. Finally, Calvin’s motivational strategies have the potential to be well-developed, as Calvin enjoys particular subjects. The potential development of his motivational skills is evident through his exploration of snakes one summer afternoon. He assigned value to the activity by trying to satisfy his own curiosity through the exploration of a snake’s characteristics.

Why does he have this particular pattern?

Calvin is not motivated to participate in class and complete schoolwork because he sees no real-life value in the subjects he is learning. He often questions the importance of class subjects, but his questions are ignored. Additionally, Calvin is an experiential learner and therefore feels confined and suppressed in the regular classroom setting. He has a great imagination that could enhance his learning experience, but has never been taught how to channel it into education.

Calvin’s lack of self-motivated learning skills is not only a product of school; it is also a product of his home environment and interactions with his parents. At Calvin’s young age he needs parental interaction, guidance, and involvement. Calvin’s parents put emphasis on his grades and the completion of homework without showing interest in the actual subject matter. They are showing Calvin that learning doesn’t matter, only grades matter. No wonder he has no investment in school learning.

Calvin is influenced by many factors that inhibit the self-regulated learning process. Calvin does not have a strong sense of self-efficacy. Ms. Wormwood consistently informs Calvin that his is incompetent and his work is a disgrace, which allows Calvin to feel incapable of succeeding in the classroom. Calvin does not have a strong sense of either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation because he cannot see the value of the information presented enough to pursue it on his own. Ms. Wormwood and Calvin’s parents serve as an inhibition of self-regulated learning process; Ms. Wormwood does not serve as an expert model of the activity and Calvin’s parents do not provide structured guidance to Calvin’s education.

What can Ms. Wormwood do?

The most important thing that Ms. Wormwood can do to motivate Calvin is to incorporate his interest into the lessons and give subject matter real-world value. She needs to stop ignoring Calvin’s questions and answer them in a way that will guide him back to the lesson. She needs to teach and model self-regulated learning skills such as goal setting, time management, and self-evaluation. This in turn will foster an actual interest in directing his own learning. Ms. Wormwood could model self-regulating learning skills by designing projects with various checkpoints, such as a brainstorming concept map, an outline, and then a rough draft. She would have the opportunity to give Calvin necessary feedback, as well as model time management.

One important aspect that Ms. Wormwood absolutely needs to change is her treatment of Calvin. She continually puts Calvin down to the point of public humiliation and ridicule, which in turn affects his perception of self and creates undesired behaviors. Positive self-perception is necessary for students to acquire self-regulated behaviors. If they do not believe they can succeed, they will not set challenging goals for themselves or work toward meeting these goals. Ms. Wormwood needs to give Calvin positive feedback when he does any little thing correctly in order to support that behavior and ensure continued class involvement.